Resources
Mothers Come in Different Forms
Huffpost - May 7, 2017 by Mary Lee There are more than 400,000 foster children in state custody right now. Every year, more than 20,000 age out without being reunited with their biological family or finding a new one through adoption. Every day, another child is taken...
Meeting Your New Foster Child
The first day... The Spruce - October 31, 2017 by Carrie Craft When a foster child is first placed in your home a lot of fear and stress comes through the front door along with the child, for both of you. The child is fearing the absolute worst about you and his/her...
Mental health workers struggle with stigma about their own issues
Cuts and stretched services are affecting the mental health of carers in the sector, with many too ashamed to seek help. The Guardian- March 22, 2017 by Emily Reynolds Understanding around mental health is improving: campaigns such as Time To Change have drawn public...
Bullied teens twice as likely to bring weapons to school
Reuters - November 27, 2017 by Lisa Rapaport (Reuters Health) - One in five teens are victims of bullying, and these adolescents are about twice as likely to bring guns and knives to school than peers who aren’t bullied, a U.S. study suggests. Researchers examined how...
10 Ways To Create a Rock Solid Relationship With Your Teen
Sunshine and Hurricanes - November 28th, 2017 by Michelle Meyers Parenting a teen (or tween) isn’t easy. We have certainly heard all the horror stories of defiance, disrespect and general disinterest. But, often such tales of teenage turbulence are wildly exaggerated....
8 Ways To Tell Your Toddler “No” Without Actually Saying It
Life as Mama - September 3, 2015 Parenting a toddler certainly has it’s ups and downs. It can be absolutely wonderful and amazing at times, and then downright exhausting and frustrating at other times. Once a child becomes a toddler they develop a mind of their own...
Disrespectful Teens or Tweens – 5 Effective Ways to End the Attitude Today!
Sunshine and Hurricanes - November 28, 2017 by Kira Lewis Does it feel like your disrespectful teens and tweens need an attitude adjustment? The door opens and in walks the tween or teen. You sense their arrival because the energy in the air completely shifts. You can...
Preventing Teen Suicide: What the Evidence Shows
The New York Times - August 17, 2017 by Aaron E. Carroll Rates of teen suicide continue to rise, federal health officials reported this month, with rates for girls higher than at any point in the last 40 years. A rational response would be to engage in evidence-based...
From Dark Places: Understanding Trauma In Foster Care And Adoption.
Confessions of an Adoptive Parent - February 19, 2015 by Mike Berry Over the past decade we have had to face the reality that some of our children experienced serious trauma before they came into our care. In the process, we discovered how little we really...
Why Teens Hate Therapy- Mistakes Therapists Should Avoid
Psychotherapy Networker - October 1, 2012 by Janet Sasson Edgette "How do I get her to talk about her feelings?" asks Jean, a counseling intern about to meet 13-year-old Hannah for an initial appointment. "I'm not sure what to say to her." Hannah will be the first...
5 Reasons Teenagers Act the Way They Do
Mental Floss - February 2, 2012 by Kathy Benjamin For everyone who is or was a teen, here are some scientific explanations for why they behave that way. 1. Risk Taking All teenagers take stupid risks that they one day look back on and wonder what the heck they were...
Understanding Grief and Loss in Foster Children
The Spruce - April 4, 2017 by Carrie Craft When a child enters your home, whether through adoption or foster care, they come with a tremendous amount of grief and loss. Losses that include birth parents, extended family, home, pets, neighborhoods, schools, friends,...
Here’s how parents can help their kids who have ADHD
WTOP - October 11, 2017 by Teta Alim WASHINGTON — October is ADHD Awareness Month, bringing attention to people who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. For parents with children who may have ADHD, it’s important to recognize symptoms and learn how they can...
3 Reasons Traditional Parenting Doesn’t Work With Kids With a History of Trauma
Confessions of an Adoptive Parent - May 15, 2017 by Mike Berry If you’ve parented a child from a traumatic past for any length of time, you already know that traditional parenting techniques do not work. But, have you ever stopped to consider why, or what you could do...
Challenging Mental Health Stigma
What is it about mental health that makes us so afraid to talk about it? It’s time to break that stigma and start the conversation!
8 Tips for Avoiding Therapist Burn-Out
May 19, 2013- Marina Williams- http://marinawilliamslmhc.com/2013/05/19/8-tips-for-avoiding-therapist-burn-out/ Therapist burn-out is a major problem in our field. As therapists, we give until it hurts. And hurts it does. There are studies revealing that therapists...
10 Ways to Stop 23,000 Children From Aging Out of Foster Care
Dave Thomas Foundation - July 18,2017 Or, how to quit making excuses and do our job When I talk to audiences not familiar with the child welfare system, I share startling numbers – more than six million children last year were involved in reports of abuse or neglect...
How do I know when to get my child help?
Parenting a child who is struggling with their mental health is stressful. To help guide you as you reach out for help we put together this easy quiz.
Engaging Resistant Clients
Positive People Solutions - July 13, 2017 When I started my career as a therapist in 1986, I actually believed all of my clients would want to work with me, would make the most of that time, and would be appreciative of my efforts. You can stop laughing now. I quickly...
3 Tips for Working with Resistant Teens
Center for Adolescent Studies - 7/13/2017 Working with teens can be a very fulfilling and rewarding endeavor. It can also be very challenging. Teens can test boundaries and become resistant to counseling interventions, classroom curriculum, or even towards us as...
Ten tips for talking to your kids about substance use
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health - 7/13/2017 Tip #1 Inform your teen you have something you'd like to discuss with them. Ask your teen where and when they would like to have this discussion. Tip #2 Approach the conversation with a sense of curiosity and...
Managing Aggressive Behaviors: Tips for Human Service Professionals
Martin Gardner - Case Management Basics - 7/13/2017 The human services field can present some serious challenges that can test your mental and emotional fortitude. There are also times when you are challenged physically and have to respond accordingly to ensure the...
The Ten Essential Traits of Successful Social Workers
Amanda Body - Social Work Degree.Net - 7/13/2017 Social workers help people in need. This can mean providing services directly to people facing a number of challenges, from abuse to health disorders, or it can mean working for change to improve social conditions....
Advice from YDI Foster Parents: The Good Experiences Outweigh the Bad
Mavis and Jim have fostered for 45 years. They’ve welcomed over 100 children into their home. Mavis and Jim gave us some good advice for foster parents.
3 Play Therapy Tips for Working with the Quiet Child
PsychCentral - Heather Gilmore, MSW, LLMSW, BCBA - September 7, 2014 Play therapy is an approach to therapy that allows children to express themselves, heal from hurts, and experience personal growth through the medium of toys and activities rather than words as is...
Five Keys to Becoming a Great Case Manager
Mental Health Counseling Options - Martin Gardner - 3/26/2017 Case managers are responsible for the coordination of services for those who receive mental health, developmental services and other health related services Case managers play an important role in ensuring...
6 Ways To Incorporate Self-Care Into Your Busy Startup Schedule
Forbes – Tori Utley – May 30, 2017 As a busy, millennial entrepreneur, I’m often given feedback that I should slow down or take a break. While this feedback is appreciated and usually right, it can feel intimidating to invest in yourself when you’re so busy focusing...
Want More Productive Employees? Encourage Self-Care
Huffington Post - Kenny Kline - 2/14/2017 Stress is taking a major toll on the American workforce. More than one-third of working Americans report chronic work-related stress; 79 percent report not getting enough sleep; and 69 percent admit to struggling with...
Tips for taking a Pause this Summer
As we head into the summer it is time take a deep breath. Here are some tips from Barbara Smith, a therapist in our Bozeman office.
On A Bright Day, You Can See the Future
Anyone who works with youth with mental or behavioral health diagnoses feels frustration. Behavioral health treatment takes time and you may not see the immediate results. As the Clinical Supervisor, I see the “big picture” of the many, many youth we help each year....
